The modern world is strongly shaped by visual culture. Films, advertisements, television, fashion industries, and social media platforms influence how people see themselves and others. Within this system, the concept of the “Male Gaze Economy” explains how women are often represented as objects to be viewed and evaluated, while men are shown as active agents-heroes, decision-makers, and achievers. This is not only a cinematic pattern but also a psychological and economic system that operates through attention, desire, and visual consumption.
The foundation of this idea can be traced to John Berger, who argued that “men act and women appear.” In his view, society trains men to act in the world, while women are conditioned to observe themselves through the eyes of others. This creates a condition of self-surveillance, where appearance becomes a constant concern. Instead of simply existing, individuals begin to monitor how they are seen.
This framework was expanded by Laura Mulvey, who introduced the concept of the “male gaze.” According to her, classical cinema is structured around a viewing system where men are positioned as subjects and women as objects of visual pleasure. Female characters are often constructed as “to-be-looked-at,” meaning their value is tied to being visually attractive rather than narratively powerful. Meanwhile, male characters drive the story through action, conflict, and resolution.
This structure can clearly be observed in classical Bollywood cinema, particularly in films like Naseeb and Dostana.
In Naseeb, the story revolves around fate, friendship, sacrifice, and eventual justice. The central male characters experience struggle, betrayal, loyalty tests, and emotional sacrifice. The narrative ultimately rewards the hero after suffering and endurance. Within this structure, the female character becomes linked with emotional fulfillment and victory, symbolizing the final reward of the hero’s journey rather than functioning as an independent narrative force.
In Dostana, the storyline focuses on friendship, rivalry, masculinity, and emotional conflict. The female character is placed at the center of male emotional competition. The narrative develops around male bonding, sacrifice, and identity struggles, while the female presence becomes a focal point through which masculine relationships are tested and defined. This reflects a common cinematic pattern where women are structurally positioned as the emotional outcome of male rivalry and achievement.
From a psychological perspective, this pattern connects with Sigmund Freud, who described “scopophilia” as the pleasure derived from looking. Media industries use this natural human tendency by producing visually attractive content designed to capture attention and sustain engagement.
Similarly, Jacques Lacan explained identity formation through the “mirror stage,” where individuals recognize themselves through external images. In cinema, viewers often identify with the hero and emotionally interpret female characters as symbols of success, possession, or reward.
In the digital era, Marshall McLuhan emphasized that “the medium is the message,” meaning that the structure of media itself shapes human behavior. Social media platforms are designed to maximize engagement by promoting emotionally stimulating and visually appealing content. Algorithms prioritize images that generate desire, comparison, and emotional reaction, turning attention into a form of economic value.
Sociologist Erving Goffman studied how advertisements construct gender roles. He observed that women are often depicted as soft, passive, and delicate, while men are shown as strong and dominant. These repeated visual patterns normalize cultural expectations about gender behavior.
The idea of constant observation is further explained by Michel Foucault through the concept of the “panopticon,” where individuals regulate their own behavior due to the feeling of being constantly watched. On social media, this becomes internalized surveillance, where individuals continuously manage their appearance and identity based on imagined public judgment.
Psychologists Barbara Fredrickson and Tomi-Ann Roberts developed “Objectification Theory,” which explains how repeated exposure to appearance-based evaluation leads individuals-especially women-to internalize an observer’s perspective. This can result in anxiety, reduced self-esteem, and a shift from intellectual or creative focus toward appearance-based validation.
However, the issue is not simply about visual culture itself but about imbalance. When appearance becomes more important than intellect, ethics, creativity, and contribution, human identity becomes limited. This is why thinkers such as Hannah Arendt and Mary Wollstonecraft remain significant. They emphasized intellectual freedom, political awareness, and the importance of education and equality beyond physical appearance.
In conclusion, the Male Gaze Economy is a broader system connecting cinema, psychology, media, and digital capitalism. Classical films such as Naseeb and Dostana illustrate how storytelling often links female characters with male emotional victory and narrative closure. In the modern digital world, this system has expanded through algorithms and social media platforms, turning attention and appearance into economic resources. A balanced society must move beyond appearance-centered value systems and recognize human beings as complete individuals defined by intellect, creativity, ethics, and contribution.
